1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to baby bottles, in particular to a decorative improvement for such bottles.
2. Description of Prior Art
A baby's bottle usually is made plain, i.e., without any decoration. Plain bottles provide no attractive features, either for the baby or the mother. Thus they do not hold the baby's attention or provide anything interesting for the baby, other than the milk in the bottle. If the baby is unwilling to drink the milk due to drowsiness, the mother usually engages in some activity to keep the baby awake until all the milk has been drunk. Since the baby's hunger progressively diminishes toward the end of the drinking period, it may not get its full quota of milk if it becomes drowsy.
Some bottles have molded integral decorations which purport to show a high degree of decoration and attractiveness. However, these bottles do not cause the baby to take notice, become interested, or engage the baby's attention. Another problem is that they make the diameters of the bottles larger, sometimes too large for the babies' small hands to hold. Lastly the decorations are small and difficult to see.
Another problem is that when decorations are embossed on the outside of the bottle, similiar indentations are usually embossed or indented on the inside, creating cavities which hold congealed deposits of milk. These are very difficult to clean even, with a bottle brush.
Molded hearts have been made integral with the screw-down nipple-holding rings. However, these have been so small that they are virtually invisible to a baby, so that any decorative value is lost. Most parents mistakenly take them for handgrips, meant to assist in tighting the ring.
Another form of decoration on bottles consist of printed characters, flowers, and the like which are attached by an adhesive. These however soon wear off due to normal washing and handling of the bottle. Also, they are not positioned for the baby to see and to get amusement from.
M. Ricks, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,139, dated July 26, 1988, shows a bottle identification collar. This is useful in preventing bottle mix-ups where several babies are to be fed. However, as the babies grow, they learn to remove the collar and attempt to eat it. Also, these collars do not provide any way to interest or amuse a baby.
T. McConnell, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,291, dated Mar. 22, 1988, shows a wire cage which holds the parts of the bottle assembly for washing in a dishwasher. The problem here is that the cage prevents thorough washing. Thus further hand washing is necessary. Again, McConnell's device does not provide any way to interest or amuse a baby.